With the right partner, you don’t have to manage printing and fulfillment yourself to benefit from direct mail, but it’s still helpful to understand how the process works. Each piece goes through a complex, multi-step workflow before it lands in your customer’s mailbox, and knowing what happens at each stage of the print and send process can help you move faster and optimize operations on your end.
Let’s walk through the key stages of direct mail printing and fulfillment.
File prep and proofing
Before you can turn a concept into mail, it has to be formatted for print using production-ready templates. Formatting may include placing address blocks, applying any personalization tokens, and adding bleed lines. A final proof is then generated and reviewed for accuracy and color consistency before anything goes to press.
Print production
Once your proof is approved, the printer begins production based on the specifications you’ve already selected, like paper stock, size, ink type, and any finishing touches (coatings, folds, perforations). For campaigns with personalization, digital presses enable fast, accurate printing at scale using variable data. Pieces are then trimmed and sorted for downstream processing.
Addressing and bundling
Once printed, each piece is addressed, barcoded, and prepared for postal injection. Pieces are sorted and bundled according to USPS requirements to ensure timely, cost-efficient delivery.
Tip: Make sure addresses are verified in advance to avoid delays, returns, or wasted spend.
Fulfillment and mail entry
Fulfillment includes any finishing steps, like inserting letters into envelopes or attaching reply devices. Once complete, mail is injected into the USPS network at the appropriate entry point, depending on speed and service level.
Delivery tracking
Advanced providers offer delivery tracking from production through final delivery, giving you visibility into in-home dates, campaign performance, and helps coordinate omnichannel outreach.
Direct mail printing and fulfillment is a complex operation, but with the right partner, it can feel effortless. Learn how Lob’s Print Delivery Network handles all the logistics so that you can focus on strategy and scale with confidence.
Answered by:
Eamon Barisone,
Principal Solutions Engineer
